How AI processes language, predicts words, and reveals itself through overused phrases
Women cheerleaders became the norm in the following decades.
The first cheerleading team in the NFL was established in 1954 to cheer the Baltimore Colts.
Campbell cheered: "Rah, Rah, Rah! Ski-u-mah, Hoo-Rah! Hoo-Rah! Varsity! Varsity! Varsity, Minn-e-So-Tah!"
By 1940, there were around 30,000 cheerleading teams in American high schools and colleges.
In 1923, women were finally allowed to cheer. Here's a picture of Springfield High School cheerleaders in 1941.
In the beginning, all cheerleaders were male. Here are Maryland cheerleaders performing a routine in 1937.
The first world cheerleading championships finally happened in 2004.
Cheerleading was provisionally recognized as a sport by the International Olympic Committee in December 2016.
The stunts and athleticism required for the choreography elevated cheerleaders' status to that of athletes.
Cheerleading grew a lot in the '90s. Squads went from the sidelines to becoming the main attraction for many.
In 1974, Jeff Webb founded the Universal Cheerleaders Association. Cheerleading became more athletic at the time.
In the '70s, the Dallas Cowboys revolutionized the direction of cheerleading. Slightly older women were brought in and they started showing more skin.
The UCA later became the Varsity Spirit Corporation. The organization now owns the majority of the market for cheer uniforms.
The (sexier) Cowboys Cheerleaders became a hit. They were even asked by the US government to do a global tour and cheer for soldiers.
It's estimated that in 1975 about 500,000 people were cheerleading in the US.
One year later, two Yale cheerleaders, Greg Parker and Bill Brown, gave the Black Power salute during the National Anthem.
Many, if not most, cheerleaders did not follow feminist ideology in the 1970s, and did not agree with the sexual exploitation stigma associated with cheerleading.
By 1967, children as young as four years old were starting to train to become cheerleaders.
Cheerleading didn't stop growing. By the 1970s, there were 11 NFL teams with cheerleaders.
In 1948, Lawrence Herkimer founded the National Cheerleaders Association in the US.
In 1967, only one African-American cheerleader was picked for a high school's varsity team. This resulted in over 1,000 Black students protesting in Illinois.
While cheerleaders have been depicted in many movies, 'Bring It On' (2000) was a game changer. Cheerleading became really mainstream after the film.
Cheerleading has become a very demanding athletic endeavor with all sorts of stunts. As a result, the injury rate has increased dramatically throughout the years.
Nowadays, cheerleading squads go from amateurs to professionals, and the love for it has spread all over the world.
Sources: (Business Insider) (It's Rosy)
See also: Celebs who used to be cheerleaders
Shows such as the 2020 Netflix docuseries 'Cheer' contribute to the popularization of cheerleading around the world.
In 1898, University of Minnesota student Johnny Campbell (pictured) picked up a megaphone during a football game and started chanting, engaging the crowd.
In 1978, other teams tried to compete with the Dallas cheerleaders in dressing more provocatively. American sports magazine Sports Illustrated called it the "Great Cheerleading War of 1978."
Some famous men were actually cheerleaders, including former US Presidents Franklin D. Roosevelt and George W. Bush.
The first documented organized cheer dates back to 1877, at Princeton University. The "Princeton Cheer" was yelled from the stands, though there was not a single person or group of people on the sideline directing the crowd.
In the early years, male cheerleaders served to encourage the crowd and helped control them.
The Laker Girls were the first squad in the NBA, this in 1979. They went down as an important milestone in cheerleading history. Fun fact: singer Paula Abdul was famously a Laker Girl.
Cheerleading is as American as apple pie. Though it has spread all over the world throughout its more than 120 years of existence, the US remains the home of cheerleading to this day. But how did cheering a sports team became such a coveted activity in schools and colleges, and later turn professional?
In this gallery, we delve into the history of cheerleading, from one man chanting at the stands, to professional cheerleading squads. Click through to learn more.
The evolution of cheerleading
A century of cheers and changes
LIFESTYLE Cheerleaders
Cheerleading is as American as apple pie. Though it has spread all over the world throughout its more than 120 years of existence, the US remains the home of cheerleading to this day. But how did cheering a sports team became such a coveted activity in schools and colleges, and later turn professional?
In this gallery, we delve into the history of cheerleading, from one man chanting at the stands, to professional cheerleading squads. Click through to learn more.